The Innocent
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: The Charmed Ones encounter a man who just won't stay dead.


CHARMED  
"THE INNOCENT"  
by J. B. Tilton  
email: aramath@isot.com  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are   
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters   
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction   
and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 1 episodes   
"From Fear To Eternity" and "Secrets And Guys".)  
  
* * *  
  
The Charmed Ones encounter a man who just won't stay dead.  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
Prue pulled up and stopped at a red light. Traffic was   
unusually light for that time of the morning. She had no doubt that   
would change quickly.  
  
"Phoebe," she said, "are you sure you don't want me to pick you   
up when you're done? I'm sure I can get away fro a while."  
  
"No, that's okay," said Phoebe from the back seat. "I'm not   
sure how long I'll be at the unemployment office. I can just take a   
bus or a cab home."  
  
"When I get my car our of the shop," said Piper from the   
passenger seat in front, "you can use it while I'm working. I never   
realized how restrictive having only one car could be."  
  
"Just be glad the repairs are minor," said Prue. "You'll have   
your car back tomorrow. It could have been a lot worse."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," said Piper.  
  
"Oh, my God," said Phoebe, pointing across the street.  
  
Prue and Piper looked to see a young girl about six years old   
suddenly dart into oncoming traffic. As she reached the middle of the   
street, she stumbled and fell. At that moment a city bus topped the   
hill. The driver saw the little girl and locked his breaks to avoid   
hitting her, but it was evident there was no way the bus would stop in   
time.  
  
"Piper, freeze it," screamed Phoebe.  
  
"I can't," said Piper. "I'm not close enough."  
  
Before any of them could move, a man suddenly ran into the   
street, coming to the young girls' rescue. He reached the girl barely   
ahead of the bus. With one great shove, he pushed the girl out of the   
path of the bus.  
  
The girl was safe but the man was unable to move out of the path   
of the bus. It hit him full on as the bust driver tried desperately   
to bring the bus to a stop. The rescuer was knocked about twenty feet   
and came to rest in the middle of the intersection.  
  
The sisters jumped out of the car to join the growing crowd   
gathering around the man. No one seemed t want to touch him. As if   
any physical contact might be contagious. Prue reached down and took   
the mans' wrist, checking for a pulse.  
  
"Excuse me," said a woman, pushing her way through the crowd,   
"I'm a doctor."  
  
"I'm not getting a pulse," Prue told the doctor.  
  
"Are you a nurse or a doctor?" asked the woman.  
  
"No," said Prue, "but I do know some first aid."  
  
"I'm afraid first aid won't help him," said the doctor. "His   
neck is broken. I'm afraid he's dead. He probably died on impact."  
  
"Oh, God, no," said the bus driver, watching the entire scene.   
"He came out of nowhere to save that little girl. I just couldn't get   
the bus stopped in time."  
  
"It wasn't your fault," said Piper, trying to comfort the man.   
"It was an accident. My sisters and I saw the whole thing. We'll be   
glad to tell the police what we saw."  
  
Several of the other bystanders voiced similar remarks, but it   
didn't make the driver feel any better. A quick check of the little   
girl showed a couple of bruises and some minor cuts, but she was   
otherwise uninjured.  
  
An ambulance and police car arrived a few minutes later. The   
doctor dealt with the paramedics, making arrangements for the   
disposition of the body. The police began to interview the witnesses.  
  
"It seems pretty cut and dried," said one of the policemen,   
talking to Prue. "Your account of what happened appears to   
corroborate what everyone else told us. It appears to have been just   
a senseless accident. I'm going to write it up that way. DO you have   
any idea who the guy is? He didn't have any ID on him."  
  
"No," said Prue, "he's just some guy on the street. I never saw   
him before."  
  
"Okay, thanks," said the officer. "We'll run his fingerprints.   
With any luck we'll be able to . . ."  
  
"Holy Mother of God," gasped the bus driver, shock in his voice.  
  
Everyone looked to see what he was talking about. Sitting   
upright on the gurney was the man who had been pronounced dead only   
moments before. He looked around, and then jumped off the gurney   
before anyone could move. Within seconds, he had vanished into the   
throng of onlookers.  
  
"Maybe he was only stunned," offered one of the paramedics,   
trying to make sense of it.  
  
"He was dead," insisted the doctor. "I've worked in the   
emergency room for twelve years, and I know a dead body when I examine   
one. I'm telling you he was stone cold dead."  
  
"Calm down, doc," said the policeman who had been talking to   
Prue, "we believe you. But I have no idea how I'm going to write this   
one up."  
  
TWO  
  
"Maybe he was just stunned like the paramedic said," said   
Phoebe, as the sisters talked at home that night.  
  
"No," said Prue, "I touched the body. He was dead, just as the   
doctor said. Besides, his neck was broken. It couldn't have just   
spontaneously healed like that."  
  
"Well," said Piper, "people just don't suddenly come back from   
the dead, either."  
  
"No humans, anyway," said Phoebe. "You think he was a demon or   
a warlock?"  
  
"He sure wasn't human," said Prue. "I'm not sure what he is."  
  
"There's nothing in the Book of Shadows about anything like   
this," said Piper.  
  
"I'll go see Andy tomorrow," said Prue. "He might know   
something that can help us."  
  
"Won't he get suspicious that you're asking?" asked Piper.  
  
"We witnessed the accident," said Prue. "Then we witnessed the   
guy getting up and walking away. It seems only natural we'd want to   
know what's going on."  
  
"Just be careful," said Piper. "We don't want him any more   
suspicious than he already is."  
  
"I'll be careful," promised Prue. "But this man is still out   
there. We need to find out what's going on with him."  
  
"He saved a little girls' life," said Phoebe. "It's hard to   
believe he's evil."  
  
"Maybe," said Piper, "but Prue is right. We need to find out   
what's going on with him."  
  
"I'll check the Book of Shadows again," said Phoebe. "Maybe I   
can find something Piper may have missed."  
  
The following afternoon, Prue walked into Andy's office. He   
looked up at her from the stack of papers he was going through. He   
smiled at her and stood up.  
  
"Well," he said, "to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"  
  
"Hi, Andy," said Prue. "I was hoping you might be able to give   
me some information."  
  
"Have a seat," said Andy. "What kind of information?"  
  
"My sisters and I witnessed an accident yesterday," said Prue.   
"A guy was hit by a bus. I just thought you might be able to find out   
about this guy."  
  
"You mean the dead man who suddenly walked away and vanished,"   
said Andy.  
  
"You already know about it?" asked Prue.  
  
Andy opened a file on his desk.  
  
"What's your interest in this case?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, uh, just curious," said Prue. "It's not every day a man   
pronounced dead just gets up and walks away. I was just wondering if   
they found the guy and if he was okay."  
  
"No, we haven't," said Andy. "And as for getting up and walking   
away after he's dead, he seems to do it a lot."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Prue.  
  
"My captain didn't know what to do with this case," said Andy,   
"so he gave it to me to look into. I have nearly a dozen reports just   
like the one from yesterday. A man, five feet eight inches tall,   
weighing about one hundred sixty pounds, around thirty years of age,   
black hair, and brown eyes. He seems to go out of his way to save   
people.  
  
"Last week he pulled a woman out of a burning building. The   
week before he prevented a mugging and kept a woman's husband from   
shooting her. The week before that he kept a guy from jumping off a   
building.  
  
"But it's always thee same story. He seems to be killed. Smoke   
inhalation, a bullet in the head, and a fall from twelve stories.   
Then, a little while later, he jut gets up and walks away like nothing   
happened."  
  
"Any idea who this guy is?" asked Prue.  
  
"None," said Andy. "His prints aren't on file anywhere. Two   
weeks ago he got up off the medical examiners table just before the   
autopsy started. Are you sure you don't know anything about this   
guy?"  
  
"No, nothing," said Prue. "Just as I told the officer at the   
accident, I never saw the guy before. We were just wondering if you   
had found out anything about him, just as I said."  
  
"Uh huh," said Andy suspiciously. "Prue, if you do learn   
anything about him, I want you to let me know right away, understand?"  
  
"I understand," said Prue. "But from what you've told me, he   
hasn't broken any laws. I don't see why this is a police matter."  
  
"Just some questions we'd like the answers to," said Andy.   
"Promise me you'll let me know if you find out anything."  
  
"If you guys can't find out anything," said Prue, "I don't see   
how I'm going to. But I promise to let you know if I learn anything   
about a man who can do what this guy seems to be able to do."  
  
"Good," said Andy.  
  
"Well, guess I'd better be going," said Prue. "You look like   
you have a lot of work to do."  
  
"The paperwork never ends," said Andy.  
  
Andy watched Prue as she left the police station. Despite her   
promise, he was sure she wouldn't tell him if she learned anything.   
She'd figure some way to explain it so that it wouldn't seem like a   
lie. There was more to Prue Halliwell than she was letting on. One   
day he'd find out what here secret was.  
  
THREE  
  
"Well, at least we have some idea what we're dealing with," said   
Piper. "A man who apparently can't die."  
  
"I still think we need to find him," said Prue. "This guy can't   
be human. There's no telling what he's up to."  
  
"Prue, he goes around saving people," said Phoebe. "I don't see   
how he could possibly be evil."  
  
"All the same," said Prue, "I still think we need to find him.   
Just to make sure."  
  
"What about your promise to Andy?" asked Piper. "To tell him   
what you find out."  
  
"I promised to tell him about any man I find out about," said   
Prue. "This guy isn't human so he can't be a man. Which means I'm   
under no obligation to tell Andy anything about him."  
  
"That's kind of splitting hairs, isn't it?" asked Phoebe.  
  
"Just let me worry about Andy," said Prue. "Phoebe, why don't   
you go through the back issues of the newspaper? We haven't thrown   
them out yet. Maybe there are some articles on his rescues that might   
help."  
  
"Right," said Phoebe.  
  
"Well, while Phoebe's playing Nancy Drew," said Piper, "I need   
to go get my car."  
  
"I'll give you a lift," said Prue. "Then I'll check out the   
hospital and the morgue. I'll try to see what I can find out about   
our mysterious friend."  
  
Phoebe spent the afternoon going through the old newspapers at   
the manor. She didn't find anything useful. She did find a couple of   
articles on the miraculous rescues. But there was virtually nothing   
to give any clue about the heroic savior who apparently was willing to   
give his life over and over again to protect others.  
  
Prue's search at the hospital and morgue proved just as   
fruitless. Except for the one incident where he had actually gotten   
up off the autopsy table, no one knew a thing. The body of the man   
had just suddenly gone missing.  
  
After Piper picked up her car, she headed for Quake. She   
suddenly found herself at the same intersection where the accident had   
happened. She hadn't realized the mechanics shop had been so close to   
that intersection.  
  
The intersection bordered the slum section of San Francisco.   
Only a couple of blocks away was skid row. She looked around not   
knowing exactly what she expected to see. Maybe a clue to let her   
know why the man had been at that particular intersection.  
  
The light changed and she glanced around to see if it was safe   
to proceed through. San Francisco, like any large city, could be a   
tricky place to drive at times. Some people practically ignored the   
stoplights.  
  
That's when she saw him. Crossing the street was the man who   
had supposedly died a dozen times. He even wore the same clothes he   
had been wearing when the bus had struck him. He was carrying a bag   
from a local grocery store.  
  
Piper followed him for several blocks, being careful not to   
follow too closely. She watched as he entered a seedy, cheap hotel in   
skid row. One of the kinds of hotels that rented rooms by the day or   
even by the hour.  
  
Piper parked her car and followed him inside. The lobby was   
just as she had imagined. The furniture was extremely old and hadn't   
been cleaned in years. Several men, obviously drunk, sat around the   
lobby half dozing. The clerk sat behind a thick sheet of plexi-glass.   
It was probably bullet proof since robberies in that part of town were   
very common.  
  
Piper watched as the man she was following ascended the stairs   
to the second floor. She followed him, feeling very self-conscious.   
She stood out among the local denizens of the area and she knew it.   
The desk clerk looked at her and smiled. Then he went back to   
whatever it was he was doing. Obviously HE thought she was a hooker   
on her way to an appointment.  
  
Piper followed the man and watched as he entered one of the   
rooms. He apparently was not concerned with being followed. He   
barely glanced around as he entered the room and locked the door   
behind him.  
  
Piper took a deep breath and walked up to the door. Hesitantly,   
she reached up and knocked on the door.  
  
FOUR  
  
When the man opened the door, he looked exactly as he had the   
morning of the accident. He hadn't shaved in a couple of days and he   
needed a haircut. The bag of groceries sat on a table partially   
unpacked.  
  
"Look, honey," said the man, "I'm not really interested in any   
company. And even if I was, I don't have any money so I couldn't   
afford it."  
  
"I'm not here for that," said Piper. "I'd just like to talk to   
you. I was at the intersection a couple of blocks away yesterday   
morning."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the man, trying   
to close the door.  
  
"I think you do," said Piper, stepping into the doorway so he   
couldn't close the door. "Interesting talent you have there. Walking   
around after you're dead."  
  
"What do you want?" asked the man.  
  
"My name is Piper Halliwell," said Piper. "And I just want to   
talk, like I said."  
  
Come on in, Piper Halliwell," said the man. "It's not like you   
could hurt me or anything. So, what are you? A reporter maybe?   
You're not a cop. You would have identified yourself up front if you   
were."  
  
"No, I'm not a reporter," said Piper "Let's just say I'm   
someone who's curious how you can be hit by a bus and walk away   
without a scratch."  
  
"Good genes," joked the man.  
  
Piper wasn't smiling. She looked intently at the man. If this   
man was a demon or a warlock, he wasn't acting like one.  
  
"What's your name?" asked Piper.  
  
"Malcolm Dowdry," said the man. "Why are you so interested in   
me, Miss Halliwell? I haven't broken any laws. If you're not a cop   
or a reporter, then what do you want with me?"  
  
"You haven't answered my question yet?" said Piper.  
  
"Why not?" asked the man. "Maybe once you think I'm crazy   
you'll leave me alone. You want to know how a bus can hit me and walk   
away without a scratch? It's because I can't die. No matter how   
badly injured I am, my injuries will heal within a matter of hours.   
Even if I die, I come back to life. I am, for all intents and   
purposes, immortal."  
  
"You sound bitter about it," said Piper. "Most people would be   
overjoyed at having an ability like that. They'd give just about   
anything for it."  
  
"Under other circumstances, I might agree with them," said   
Dowdry. "But that's just part of it, you see? I'm being made to do   
penance for my sins."  
  
"Your sins?" questioned Piper. "So you did something wrong and   
you're being punished by being allowed to be immortal? That doesn't   
make any sense."  
  
"I told you that you'd think I was crazy," said Dowdry. "I'm   
immortal because of a curse."  
  
"I don't understand," said Piper.  
  
"You act like you actually believe me," said Dowdry.  
  
"Let's just say," said Piper, "that I have an open mind on the   
subject."  
  
"Most people think I'm off my rocker when I say I've been   
cursed," said Dowdry. "No one believes in curses these days."  
  
"There are lots of things that science and logic can't account   
for," said Piper.  
  
"Your turn," said Dowdry. "Tell me why you're so interested in   
me."  
  
"I might be able to help you," said Piper. "If I knew more   
about this curse."  
  
"You can't help me," said Dowdry. "No one can. I told you I'm   
being punished. Punished by a witch because I killed her daughter."  
  
Suddenly Piper wasn't sure this had been such a good idea.  
  
FIVE  
  
Piper had felt as Phoebe had. If this man was saving people,   
how could he be evil? But if he was so willing to admit to murder,   
maybe there was something else to this.  
  
"It was an accident," continued Dowdry.  
  
"What happened?" asked Piper, willing to at least hear his   
story.  
  
"Three years ago," began Dowdry, "everything was perfect. I had   
a thriving business. I also had a wonderful wife and two beautiful   
kids.  
  
"Then, one night, I'm coming home from work. Suddenly this   
young girl about fourteen darted out in front of my car. There wasn't   
anything I could do. Just like the bus accident yesterday. There was   
just no way for me to stop in time. The coroner said the girl died on   
impact.  
  
"At the inquest, it was ruled an accidental death. I was never   
charged with any crime. As far as the law was concerned, no one was   
to blame. It was just a senseless accident."  
  
"But her mother didn't see it that way?" asked Piper.  
  
"No, she didn't," said Dowdry. "She held me responsible for her   
daughters' death. She was waiting for me on the courthouse steps when   
I left the building.  
  
"She told me she was a witch. She said she cursed me to regret   
killing her daughter until I had atoned for it by saving innocent   
people. I thought she was just crazy from the grief of loosing her   
daughter."  
  
"But she wasn't?" asked Piper.  
  
"No," said Dowdry. "Almost immediately my business began to   
fail. Within a few months it went belly up. I lost everything I had   
spent years building up.  
  
"My wife and I also started having problems. She eventually   
left and took the kids with her. Pretty soon even my closest friends   
quit returning my calls and even refused to speak with me. I lost my   
house and everything I owned."  
  
"A curse can be pretty powerful," said Piper.  
  
"Oh, there's more," said Dowdry. "I can't hold a job.   
Eventually my bosses begin to find fault with everything I do and I   
get fired. And no matter how hard I try, I can't keep my anonymity.   
Before long it becomes known that I can heal incredibly fast. I   
become an oddity and I have to move on.  
  
"But the worst part is that I have to relive the accident over   
and over again in my dreams. Every time I close my eyes I'm back   
behind the wheel of my car. Every night I have to relive killing that   
girl over and over again."  
  
"That seems pretty extreme for an accident," said Piper.  
  
"I can understand her anger," said Dowdry. "I can imagine how I   
would feel if someone had killed one of my kids. But it's not like I   
did it deliberately. It was just a stupid accident.  
  
"So, Piper Halliwell, that's my story. You said you could help   
me. I don't think you can. I've discovered that only the witch who   
bestows a curse can lift that curse. Except she seems to have fallen   
off the face of the Earth. No one can help me now."  
  
"You might be wrong," said Piper. "Listen, if she was a witch,   
then this curse could be for real. But there are other ways t lift a   
curse."  
  
"How would you know that?" asked Dowdry. "Have you ever been   
cursed before?"  
  
"No, I haven't," said Piper. "But I'm a witch, too. So I do   
know something about curses."  
  
"Oh, great," said Dowdry, "just what I need, another witch. No   
wonder you were so interested in me."  
  
"I think my sisters and I can help you," said Piper. "Like I   
said, there's more than one way to lift a curse."  
  
"No thanks, lady," said Dowdry. "You'd probably just end up   
making things worse than they already are. I'm not sure how they   
could be worse, but I told you, only the witch who bestows a curse can   
lift that curse. You start messing around and who knows what could   
happen."  
  
"But," Piper began to protest.  
  
"No," said Dowdry forcefully.  
  
He walked over and opened the door to the hallway.  
  
"I'd like you to leave now," he said. "If you came here looking   
for me it's only a matter of time before a cop or reporter shows up.   
Guess I've been here too long. It's time for me to be moving on.  
  
Piper just looked at Dowdry. She could tell he wasn't going to   
listen to her. He had already decided there was nothing she could do   
for him. She picked up a pad from the dresser and wrote her phone   
number and address on it.  
  
"If you change your mind," she said, handing the pad to him,   
"I'm sure my sisters and I can help."  
  
He didn't say anything as she left his hotel room.  
  
SIX  
  
"You mean he wouldn't even listen to you?" asked Phoebe at   
breakfast the next morning after Piper had told her sisters.  
  
"No," said Piper. "He said he didn't want anything to do with   
witches."  
  
"You shouldn't have gone alone," said Prue, ever protective of   
her younger sisters. "It could have been dangerous."  
  
"But it wasn't," said Piper. "I guess I can't blame the guy.   
Witches don't have the best reputations to begin with. And when one   
curses you, I guess it's enough to make almost anyone skittish."  
  
"Well," said Prue, "you can't help someone who doesn't want to   
be helped."  
  
"I know," said Piper. "I just wish there was some way to get   
through to him."  
  
Just then the doorbell rang. Phoebe went to answer the door as   
Prue and Piper continued talking.  
  
"Did he say anything about where this all happened?" asked Prue.   
Maybe we could locate the witch who put the curse on him and persuade   
her to take it off."  
  
"No, he didn't mention the name of any place in particular,"   
said Piper. "He just spoke in generalities mostly. I got the feeling   
it was a long way off, though."  
  
"New Jersey, actually," said Dowdry standing in the doorway to   
the kitchen.  
  
"Look who stopped by for a visit," said Phoebe.  
  
Dowdry looked at Piper.  
  
"You said you could help me," said Dowdry.  
  
"I said I thought we could," corrected Piper. "We can't   
guarantee anything. What made you change your mind?"  
  
""You have no idea how realistic those nightmares are," said   
Dowdry. "After last night, I decided it couldn't hurt to let you   
try."  
  
"We'll do what we can," said Prue.  
  
"What do I have to do?" asked Dowdry.  
  
"Have a seat in the living room," said Piper, "while we get   
ready."  
  
"What do you think?" Piper asked the other two while Dowdry   
waited in the living room.  
  
"He's kind of cute," said Phoebe.  
  
"About the curse," said Piper in annoyance.  
  
"From what you've told us," said Prue, "it sounds like it's   
pretty powerful. I don't think a regular spell is going to break it."  
  
"That's what I thought," said Piper. "That's why I suggested   
bringing him here."  
  
"A Power of Three spell?" questioned Phoebe.  
  
"I don't think we have a choice," said Prue. "If anything can   
break this curse, it can. If it doesn't work, I don't know if there's   
anything else we can do."  
  
"I'll see what I can come up with," said Phoebe. "But this is   
kind of short notice."  
  
"We understand, honey," said Piper. "Just do the best you can.   
I'll go explain to Dowdry what we're going to do."  
  
Phoebe spent several minutes working on the spell. When she   
finished it, she looked the spell over. Not her best work, but it   
should do the trick. She went into the living room where Prue, Piper,   
and Dowdry sat talking.  
  
"So this Power of Three spell should break the curse?" Dowdry   
was asking as Phoebe entered the living room.  
  
"It should," said Piper. "A Power of Three spell combines all   
of our powers. There's not supposed to be any magic stronger than   
it."  
  
"But you have to understand," said Prue, "it is possible it   
might not work."  
  
"I understand," said Dowdry. "I just appreciate the attempt.   
If it doesn't work, what then?"  
  
"I don't know," said Piper. "But we'll keep searching for any   
way to lift the curse. If you tell us everything you can about the   
witch who put the curse on you, we might be able to find her and   
persuade her to lift it."  
  
"Like I said," said Dowdry, "she's disappeared. It's like she   
doesn't want to be found."  
  
"Here we go," said Phoebe, handing the spell to Prue and Piper.   
"It's kind of crude but it's the best I can do on such short notice."  
  
"We know you did your best," said Prue. "Well, if we're going   
to do this, might as well get it done."  
  
The three sisters stood next to each other facing Dowdry and   
began to recite the spell.  
  
SEVEN  
  
"Power of Three, we call on you, to set this innocent free.  
  
"Lift his curse and free his soul, and let him be."  
  
A soft yellow glow covered Dowdry for several seconds, and then   
vanished.  
  
"Well," said Piper, "I can't say if it worked or not, but   
something happened. We should know after tonight. After we see if   
you have the nightmare."  
  
"Oh, it worked all right," said Dowdry. "I can feel it. The   
curse is gone. I'm back to normal again."  
  
"Good," said Piper.  
  
"Yes, very good," said Dowdry. "Now, I can get back to work.   
I've been away much too long."  
  
"What do you mean get back to work?" asked Phoebe. "I though   
you couldn't hold a job?"  
  
Suddenly Dowdrys' form changed. He was no longer human. His   
skin took on a dark amber color. His eyes changed to dark blue cat-  
like eyes. Each hand had only three fingers, each with a long, razor   
sharp claw. Two oversized fangs sprouted from his mouth and his ears   
became highly pointed.  
  
"Demon," gasped Piper.  
  
"I must thank you ladies," said the demon. "When that witch   
cursed me, she trapped me in that disgusting human form. Unable to   
access any of my powers. But you have remedied that. Now, I must be   
going. I have a great deal of work to catch up on."  
  
The demon vanished from the manor before any of the sisters   
could move.  
  
* * *  
  
In the three days since lifting the demons' curse, the sisters   
had been unable to find out anything about the demon. There were   
several entries in the Book of Shadows that fit what they knew about   
it. But without any further information, it was almost impossible to   
narrow it down further.  
  
"I still can't believe he was able to fool me like that," said   
Piper. "I bought his whole story, hook, line, and sinker."  
  
"Don't beat yourself up over it," said Prue. "He fooled all of   
us."  
  
"I just wish we knew what type of 'work' he was talking about,"   
said Phoebe. "I hat thinking we set a demon loose on unsuspecting   
people."  
  
Just then there was a knock at the front door. All three of the   
sisters looked at each other.  
  
"I doubt a demon would knock on the front door," said Prue   
finally.  
  
Nevertheless, all three sisters went to answer the door.   
Although Piper and Phoebe agreed with Prue, they felt it best not to   
take any chances.  
  
Prue opened the door on an Asian woman. She appeared to be   
about thirty-five and was dressed in a typical business suit. Around   
her neck was a necklace with a pendant on it. The pendant was a   
silver sphere with a five-pointed star in the center.  
  
"Can we help you?" asked Prue.  
  
"I believe so," said the woman. "I've come a very long way.   
And I believe you three are the ones I came to see."  
  
"Us?" questioned Piper.  
  
"This is the Halliwell Manor, isn't it?" asked the woman. "Home   
to Prudence, Piper, and Phoebe Halliwell?"  
  
"Yes, it is," said Prue.  
  
"Then I'm at the right place," said the woman. "My name is Amy   
Chin. I've traveled from the east coast too speak with you. It is an   
honor to finally meet the Charmed Ones."  
  
EIGHT  
  
"So, you're a witch, too?" asked Phoebe when they had moved to   
the living room.  
  
"Yes," said Amy, touching her pendant. "This is the symbol of   
my coven. One of the responsibilities of my coven is to safeguard the   
prophecies about the three of you. That's how I knew who you are."  
  
"We have prophecies," said Phoebe. "Cool."  
  
"It also explains how someone was able to break my curse," said   
Amy. "Only the power of the Charmed Ones could have broken that   
curse."  
  
The sisters all looked at each other. This must be the witch   
Dowdry had told them about. The witch that had cursed him for killing   
her daughter.  
  
""You know we broke the curse?" asked Prue.  
  
"I knew it the instant it happened," said Amy. "And as I said,   
only your power was great enough to break it."  
  
"We're sorry," said Phoebe. "We didn't know he was a demon   
until after we broke the curse."  
  
"I assumed as much," said Amy.  
  
Piper told Amy the entire story about Dowdry. She also told Amy   
of their search to find him and stop him.  
  
"You won't find him," said Amy. "He's very devious. He's long   
gone by now. He won't want to stay around with you knowing what he   
is. He'd be too afraid you'd come looking to vanquish him."  
  
"Not much chance of that," said Piper. "We're having trouble   
narrowing down just what kind of demon he is."  
  
"He's a revenge demon," said Amy. "He grants peoples' wishes to   
punish those who have wronged them. His power only comes from those   
people, otherwise he's as powerless as any mortal."  
  
"That explains why he didn't attack us," said Prue.  
  
"Yes," said Amy. "I ran across him several years ago. The   
story he told you is true in one sense. A man did accidentally kill a   
young girl. And her mother held him responsible, but the police ruled   
it an accidental death. He offered to punish him for what he had   
done.  
  
"But I discovered what he was doing. So I cursed him to remain   
in human form until he had atoned for everything he had done. I   
figured that was better than vanquishing him. He gets punished for   
inflicting suffering on people and maybe some good comes of it in the   
process."  
  
"We're so sorry," said Piper. "If we had known . . ."  
  
"It's not your fault," said Amy. "The Charmed Ones are supposed   
to protect the innocent. That's all you thought you were doing.   
There's no way you could have known he was a demon."  
  
"We're still sorry," said Prue. "Is there anything we can do to   
help?"  
  
"No," said Amy. "But there's something I can do. I'll track   
him down and curse him again. This time I'll make sure that any   
witches he comes into contact with will recognize him for what he is.   
So this won't happen again."  
  
"If there's anything we can do to help," said Piper, "don't   
hesitate to contact us."  
  
"Just having you around is more than you can imagine," said Amy.   
"It takes some of the pressure off me."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Prue.  
  
"Before the three of you got your powers," said Amy, "I was the   
most powerful witch in the world. When you showed up, you sort of   
knocked me off the throne, so too speak."  
  
"Oh, we're sorry," said Phoebe apologetically.  
  
"Nonsense," said Amy. "I'm glad you're here. In the fight   
against evil, you can't have too many allies. I should be going. I   
have a demon to track down and a curse to bestow. With a little luck   
I should be able to catch up with him before he can do very much   
harm."  
  
"How will you find him?" asked Prue.  
  
"It shouldn't be difficult," said Amy. "I know how he operates.   
I know what to look for."  
  
"Just be careful," said Piper.  
  
""I should be telling you that," said Amy. "If you ever make it   
back east, stop by and look me up. I'm sure the others in my coven   
would be happy to meet you, too."  
  
"We'll do that," said Piper.  
  
"She was nice," said Phoebe after Amy had left.  
  
"It doesn't change the fact that we screwed up," said Prue. "We   
have to be a lot more careful in the future."  
  
"I agree," said Piper. "Some guy comes up with a sob story and   
we just bend over backward to help him. It just goes to show you   
things are rarely what they seem to be."  
  
"Especially with magic," said Prue.  
  
"That's why they call it magic," said Phoebe. "I guess we still   
have a lot to learn."  
  
"I think we'll always have a lot to learn," said Piper.  
  
"Well, we learned one thing today," said Prue. "We learned we   
aren't the only ones fighting demons. It's kind of comforting to know   
that someone else can understand what we're going through."  
  
"Hear, hear," said Phoebe. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I   
think I'll go see what there is to munch on in the kitchen."  
  
The End  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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